Sports Medicine By Peter McClelland
Doctor in the House Sports Medicine isn’t just about sport, as Dr Scott Isbel, company doctor for the WA Ballet, demonstrates. On opening night at the WA Ballet, there’s one audience member who casts his eyes over the dancers with both artistic and clinical interest. His name is Dr Scott Isbel, and his association with the WA Ballet goes back a long way. And he loves every minute of it! “I’ve been working with the dancers for 22 years now, and it’s been a wonderful experience,” said Scott, a consultant sports physician. “I’m in the audience for just about every opening performance, but I’m there as a guest, not in a clinical capacity. Although I do sit there sometimes and wonder – will this be the night for some sort of medical emergency? It hasn’t happened yet, and I hope it remains that way!”
Dancer’s injuries are mainly strains and tears. They’re not normally the traumatic injuries you see in other areas.
Scott told Medical Forum that a physiotherapist attends every single performance of the WA Ballet. “It’s so important that the dancers do their stretching exercises and warm up properly before going on stage. That’s done under the supervision of a physiotherapist. It’s an integral part of ensuring we minimise the potential injury risk for the entire company.” Scott’s interest in sports medicine stems from his own sporting background. “I was a keen gymnast in my younger days and competed at national and international level. It certainly played a big part in the eventual direction of my medical career.” Scott consults as a sports physician at SportsMed Subiaco, St. John of God Health Care (SJGHC) and treats acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries. He has a special interest in children’s sporting injuries, computer-aided design foot orthotics, compartment pressure measurement, and dexamethasone iontophoresis. One of Scott’s more high-profile patients at the WA Ballet is leading artist Daryl Brandwood. Daryl’s one-man show, Helix, wowed Perth audiences earlier this year. “It was a very tough show,” said Daryl. “I only just made it through the season. If I perform it again, I’ll have to be even fitter than I was.” Any one-man show at this level of artistry is particularly demanding, and Daryl wasn’t immune from the after-effects. “I suffered from back spasms after Helix and had to miss our next season, Neon Lights, which was a pity. It turned out to be a really tough year physically for me.” But five years ago, Daryl suffered an injury which made him question his entire future as a professional dancer.
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“We were in rehearsal and it was late in the afternoon,” said Daryl. “I was tired, went up for a jump and landed very awkwardly. I was wearing jazz shoes which didn’t help matters much.” So, enter Dr Scott Isbel – stage right! “I saw Scott the next day with my foot wrapped up in ice. He did the scans and the results weren’t good at all.” Daryl had torn the ligaments in his ankle and it was a long uphill battle to regain his fitness. ‘I’ve known Scott since he came on the WA Ballet company’s tour to China in 2005, and he did a wonderful job to get me back on my feet again after the rehearsal incident.” But it took six months of treatment and rehabilitation before Daryl was able slip his ballet shoes back on again. Daryl’s injury was somewhat unusual. “Dancer’s injuries are mainly strains and tears – ankle and feet with the female dancers, shoulders, hips and back with the males who do all the lifting,” said Scott. “They’re not normally the traumatic injuries you see in other areas.” One of the more bizarre injuries occurred on the WA Ballet’s tour of China – and it didn’t involve a dancer at all! “It was a wonderful experience to see China before its current modernisation program. We were treated like royalty, picked up in limousines and dined at some highly unusual restaurants,” said Scott. “One night, just before the curtain went up, a section of the ceiling collapsed and part of it landed on the stage manager’s head. I had to stitch him up – that was definitely my most unusual medical moment with the company.” Scott makes the point that “dancers often retire at a relatively young age.” Even for superbly fit dancers n Dr Scott Isbel such as Daryl, it’s absolutely imperative that they develop a close professional relationship with a highly skilled sports physician. “If a structured and well-managed program is put in place,” said Scott, “there’s no reason a dancer’s professional career can’t be significantly extended.’ Daryl agrees with Scott. “I learnt a lot about my own physical limitations during that six month period away from the stage. Scott gave me some really useful feedback – I’m much more confident about pacing myself better now. Hopefully, that means I’ll be able to keep dancing for a lot longer.” l
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